This invention relates to a system for generating and containerizing radioisotopes, and more particularly to apparatus for the generation and containerization under sterile conditions of radioactive isotope solutions such as are obtained as the eluate in a radioisotope generator system.
Reference may be made to the coassigned U.S. Pat. No. 3,655,981, issued Apr. 11, 1972, entitled Closed System Generation and Containerization of Radioisotopes for Eluting a Daughter Radioisotope from a Parent Radioisotope, the coassigned U.S. Pat. No. 3,710,118 issued Jan. 9, 1973, entitled Radioisotope Generator and the coassigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,785, issued Oct. 27, 1981, entitled System for Generating and Containerizing Radioisotopes, each disclosing a system for the preparation and packaging, under sterile conditions, of a solution of a daughter radioisotope, such as technetium 99M, generated from a parent radioisotope, such as molybdenum-99, wherein the daughter radioisotope is eluted from a parent radioisotope contained in a generator with an anion exchange medium or other medium, such as alumina, having a high adsorptive capacity for the parent but a low adsorptive capacity for the daughter, by washing with a suitable solvent or eluant such as a sterile, pyrogen-free isotonic saline solution. These three coassigned patents are incorporated herein by reference. The present invention involves improvements over the systems disclosed therein, in particular involving an improvement over the system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,785.
Reference may also be made to U.S. Pat. No. 4,387,303, issued June 7, 1983, entitled Radioisotope Generator for disclosure of another system for generating and containerizing radioisotope, particularly for its disclosure therein of pinching a tube.